The End Is My New Beginning
by walkerstalker1969
Summary: Breann Mac Cúg is trapped in the Mert County Department of Public Works awaiting certain death, but the brawl of two men saves her life. Will she fit in with their new group?
1. Chapter One - Alone No Longer

Breann Mac Cúg was a strong, thick-headed, red-headed, Irish woman who could conquer anything, except the undead. The "bloody deadies", as she referred to them, were something she had never expected. She had lived in Ireland all of her life and she had been on her own, learning to survive since she was eight, but nothing could prepare her for the way the world changed. She had worked all of her life to get a visa so that she could move to the country her father had told her endless stories about and just as she landed in Georgia the dead began to rise from their graves.

Climbing out of a taxi in Atlanta she saw a man with his throat ripped open. There was blood covering his clothes and all of his exposed skin, yet he was still stumbling around as if he jumped straight out of a terrible sci-fi movie. When the man saw her, he started running towards her, his mouth open wide as if he was anticipating a mouthful of flesh. That's when she realized that it was truly the end of the world and the radios hadn't been lying. Five weeks ago, she had escaped the clutches of that undead man only to find herself alone, trapped in the supply closet of the Mert County Department of Public Works building. The two dozen deadies were just outside the closet door trying their hardest to get in. She could hear their hungry groans as they beat on the thin piece of wood separating them from her and she knew those things weren't going anywhere as long as she was trapped in that closet.

She began to open her last can of peaches, it was the only food she had left and she couldn't hold out eating any longer. The rumbling of her stomach was as loud as the growls of the undead, but it was no where near as loud as the sound of a shattering window that caused her to drop the can on the floor beneath her. The ear piercing crash filled the room and she could hear the shuffling of feet as the deadies changed their focus to the window. Breann took a deep breath and waited until she couldn't hear anymore movement within the room. Opening the door slowly, she peaked around it to find that she was completely alone in the room. Whoever or whatever broke that window had ruined the only food she had left, but also saved her life. She grabbed her pack and walked over to the shattered window looking for any signs of life. There were three men, all in different areas of the parking lot. The man closest to her was trying to defend himself from three of the rotting corpses. Bre jumped out of the window, bowie knife unsheathed, and plunged the blade into the head of the nearest corpse.

The man, shocked by her sudden entrance, stumbled backwards and fell. She ran to his aid, killing one corpse while kicking the other into a dumpster, giving the man enough time to pull himself up and drive his knife into the skull of the last deadie. Without a word, he ran through the fence into the next parking lot over, leaving the others to fend for themselves.

"Asshole," she muttered. The other men were still trapped, fighting for their lives and he was running away. She ran towards the empty parking space where she had seen one of the other men before. He was lying facedown on the ground, hands tied behind his back, as a deadie ripped the flesh from his arms and another chewed at his neck. As she got closer, she realized he was only a boy, maybe seventeen, and he was defenseless and left to die. Tears began to stream down her pale cheeks. This was why she had made an effort to avoid other survivors, she had never come to terms with watching innocent people die in this apocalypse. She knew that eventually she would have to, but death had always been difficult, even before the end of the world. She drove her knife into the skulls of both corpses and then the head of the young boy. She had learned the hard way that you come back after dying from a bite.

The sound of a car engine zipped past her and she turned to see a green Hyundai Tucson run head on into the crowd of walkers surrounding a bus. The third man she had seen jumped out of the back of the bus and climbed into the car, escaping the deadies that had survived the collision. That man hadn't left after all, but she still wasn't sure of him, she couldn't figure out why the boy had been tied up that way and left with no way to protect himself. The car sped towards her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Get in!" With no other choice she climbed into the car, hoping that this would be better than defending herself against a dozen undead corpses. They sped down the road, leaving the building that had almost been her final resting place behind.

XXX

"Rick, we can't bring her back! We just had the same issue with Randall, she could have a group and she could be dangerous. What is it with you and saving strangers? You're putting the group and your family at risk!" Breann sat quietly in the car, learning about each man as they argued her fate. They had been partners in the police force before the turn. Rick was the one she had saved after escaping the closet, he was a man with morals that he refused to break and his intense eyes enforced his beliefs all the more. Shane, on the other hand, was all about survival. He would kill anyone to protect their current group and he didn't care what happened as long as they survived. Breann already didn't like Shane, as the conversation went on, she realized he was demanding and ignorant which were both traits she despised in people. She needed to join a group, she knew she couldn't survive alone, but she wasn't sure that this group was worth joining if they were anything like Shane. Both men returned to the car and they started towards their group once again, the air filled with bitter silence.

XXX

"Who the hell is this?" Daryl was a redneck with short brown hair and a short temper to match. He got in Rick's face, "Thought we was lettin' that boy go, not tradin' him for someone new."

"Daryl, she saved our lives and she was trapped in that building. She was alone, she's not dangerous." Rick was trying to calm the fuming redneck.

Before Daryl could retort, Dale, the voice of reason within the group, spoke up suggesting a vote. Everyone nodded in agreement, hoping to end this debate. "Who votes she leaves?" Daryl and Shane raised their hands, but everyone else stood still. "Who says she stays?" The rest of the group raised their hands, even the children, Carl and Sophia.

"You people are insane," Daryl growled, "when this goes south don't none of ya blame me." He turned and stomped off towards his tent which lay separate from the rest of the group.

"Thank you." Bre smiled, she was relieved that these people were willing to allow her to join the group. She took the tent and sleeping bag that Dale held out to her, "My name is Breann. Is there any chance I could get some food?" She thought back to the can of peaches she had dropped.

"Nice to meet you Breann. Carol is finishing up lunch by the fire pit, you're welcome to whatever she made and by the way, I think you'll fit in just fine here." She smiled again at the old man and then turned to go set up her tent by everyone else's. The group was kinder and more welcoming than she had thought. She had expected all of them to side with Shane, against her, but thankfully she had been wrong. She felt like she really would fit in with his group. She wouldn't be alone anymore.


	2. Chapter Two - Anamchara

Bre had woken up before anyone else and the sun was just starting to peak over the horizon, bathing the sky in warm yellows and oranges. She walked over to the RV to see Glenn had fallen asleep on watch. She didn't know Glenn that well, but she had been told how he had sacrificed a lot for the group and she was sure he deserved the sleep he was getting. Even though she was having trouble opening up to new people she was already enjoying their company and after the wonderful dinner in Hershel's house last night, she learned that these people had all met by chance. It was astonishing that so many good people had found each other in the midst of chaos. The group was filled with saints, even Daryl and Shane who had shown a deep dislike to the new addition of the group.

She looked across the property to see Daryl next to his tent, hanging something along a clothesline. He had moved his camp to the far side of the property once she was invited into the group. Unable to figure out why the redneck couldn't stand her presence, she decided to ask him. Walking in long strides as her father always had, she approached the man with confidence beaming from her eyes. She had always been one to pick fights, it was a bad trait she tried to lose, but never could. She met his intense blue eyes with her own green glare. He was covered in filth and his hair lay uncombed upon his head, yet he was still mesmerizing. Staring at him, she had forgotten her purpose for walking over there in the first place.

"What do you want?" He grunted at the glazed look in her eyes and then returned his attention to hanging squirrels on the line.

"What's your problem?" Her accent made it hard for him to focus on her words. The sound fell off her tongue gracefully, it was like listening to his favorite song over and over, he couldn't get enough. "I haven't even known you for a full day and you already want me gone. You wanted me gone the moment I stepped foot on this damn property. Why?" He didn't answer he just shook his head and turned away. He didn't want anyone joining the group because people were untrustworthy these days, but this girl was trying to do everything in her power to make everyone like her and he was finding it hard not to enjoy the company of this warm-hearted, thick-headed, Irish woman. His reaction made her frustrated, she began to pull threads out of her blue denim shorts, anger always made her fidgety, she would much rather be in a brawl then be spewing rage filled words back and forth with someone. "The least you could do is answer me."

Daryl turned around, prepared to retort when another voice filled the air, "Yeah Darlina, answer the leprechaun." A man with short grey hair and an angry looking face appeared from behind the tent. She could see a resemblance between the two men, and assumed they were brothers, the other man didn't seem old enough to be Daryl's father. She met the man's gaze and stared hard at him, letting her anger show on her pale, freckled face. "She's a feisty one, probably good in bed ain't ya?" He laughed at his own joke.

She laughed along with him, she'd dealt with men like him before, "I am actually, but poor you will never find out for sure. Your flute is probably the size of my pinky." She laughed again, this time at her own joke. She could see a small smile form on Daryl's face, but just as soon as it appeared, it was gone.

"Touché Clover. The names Merle, when did you get here?"

"Yesterday, and I was suckin' diesel until this one here," she pointed to Daryl, "and that fucking bollocks, Shane, ruined my time." Daryl glared at her and then returned his attention to his squirrels once again.

Merle laughed, "I like you, don't understand why Darlina here don't. Guess he don't wanna taste of the Irish pussy."

"You got a real mouth on ya, how about ya shut it and bolt outta here." She smiled at him, trying to egg him on, "I was tryna have a conversation with Daryl."

Merle shook his head, "He ain't much of a talker. Here's a challenge, try gettin' him into bed. Only hookers I paid for have accomplished that." Merle laughed and walked away, leaving Breann and Daryl in awkward silence.

She was never good with dead air, she felt nervous, like a cornered animal when there wasn't anything to say. Breaking the silence she said, "When you have something to say, come tell me why you hate me. Cause I sure as hell don't hate you." She winked at him, causing a small fit of laughter to escape his lips, "See ya later fella." He watched her walk away, her hips swayed gently from side to side, but she walked with a confidence he had never seen. He shook his head, there was no way a redneck like him could hook up with a girl like that. She was the type who could fend off a greasy bar guy without even batting an eye. She'd blow him off without a second thought. He shook his head and focused back on his work, glad she had finally walked far enough away that he couldn't see her anymore.

XXX

Bre set her book down, she couldn't meditate while she was reminiscing about the gorgeous blue eyes that made their home on Daryl's worn face. She wasn't one to think about men like a hormonal teenager, but something about that man was hypnotizing and she wouldn't stop until she figured out what it was. Maybe it wasn't just one thing, maybe it was everything about him put together in one. It was a magical mix of personality, looks, and skills. They had very little in common, but she felt as if he was an anamchara, or a soul friend. She had connected with only one person in her entire life and that was her dearest friend Dillon. He and her had been friends since she was a child and when she had run off, he followed her and they travelled together for a few years. They were very different from each other, in looks and personality, but they worked together. She had always been jealous of her friend's raven black hair and his confidence to always do the right thing. He was her first and only anamchara and he was a loyal friend just as his name described. When he died, she had vowed to never become close to anyone again, but that vow was becoming evermore difficult to uphold, especially because she knew deep in her heart that Dillon wouldn't want that for her. He died when their car collided with a semi in a small town just outside of Dublin. Somehow she survived without a scratch and he died a long gruesome death. He hadn't died instantly and before he passed, he expressed to her that he wanted her to live a long, happy life filled with adventure and the company of other wonderful people. "I might be gone," he said, "but please find the love you deserve and fulfill the dreams you have always spoken of dear sister." They had never been romantic in anyway, he had been gay as could be, but he was a brother and a true friend to her and his pleas were the one thing she needed to fulfill in order to overcome the bad traits she had picked up throughout her life's voyage. The feeling she had felt when she first met Dillon was similar to Daryl, but there was something different with Daryl. She almost felt attracted to him and she wasn't sure whether that was good or not. She wasn't a virgin, but she'd never been in any sort of relationship, the only relationship she had in her entire life was a soul friend and she wasn't sure she could be ready for anything like that again.

She reached across her tent for her essential oil diffuser necklace which her father had given her before he died. It was a pewter celtic cross locket pendant that held small bits of cotton inside so that you could wear the scent of an oil around your neck. She dripped Wolfsbane onto a cotton pad and placed it inside the locket.

Wolfsbane is known for forcing us to face our inner fears and it helps push us through our necessary journeys in life. This is the Wolfsbane's curse; to face the beast within us.

She hooked the chain around her neck and allowed the smell to engulf her, bringing forth the confidence she needed in order to fight her inner beast and allow herself to let people in. She had been hiding from other survivors and avoiding human contact because she was afraid to become close with other people whom she may lose. Now that she was in a group, she needed to force herself to let these people become a part of her life, she deserved to have caring people around her and now was good a time as any. She also needed the courage to face Daryl, maybe it was time to enjoy the company of someone who could be a friend and a lover. She deserved to be loved just like everyone else.

With this new found confidence she exited her tent and began to unhook it from the ground. It seemed Daryl and Merle who were apart from the group needed to be exposed to Wolfsbane just as much as she did. She wanted them to become a part of the group with her, it would be easier to fight their inner battles together. She grabbed onto two corners of her tent and began dragging it across the yard towards the boys' camp. Everyone watched her as she manouvered her way through the open lawn, but no one said a word. Some seemed surprised, but in time she believed they would understand the meaning of the sudden change.

When she reached the little camp, the boys and Daryl's crossbow were gone, they must have gone hunting. She pulled her tent over in between the other two and set it down so that she could pin it in place. After she finished, she walked towards the little fire pit and noticed an acoustic guitar resting against one of the tents. She hadn't taken either of the men for guitar players, but then again the age old saying don't judge book by it's cover never seemed to fail. She picked up the guitar and sat on a nearby lawn chair, she hadn't touched one since Dillon had died, but the skill came back to her as if she'd never stopped. She strummed lightly as she tried to think of a song to play. Finally, she chose one of Dillon's old favorites, Have You Ever Seen The Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

"Someone told me long ago

There's a calm before the storm

I know, it's been comin' for some time

When it's over, so they say

It will rain a sunny day

I know, shinin' down like water

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain

Comin' down on a sunny day?

Yesterday and days before

Sun is cold and rain is hard

I know, been that way for all my time

And forever, on it goes

Through the circle, fast and slow

I know, it can't stop, I wonder

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain

Comin' down on a sunny day?"

Daryl and Merle walked up behind her silently, they had only disappeared to go take a piss, but when they came back they were surprised to see she had set her place at their camp without asking them first or even hinting at it. Her sweet song voice filled the air and there was a smell accompanying it that Daryl didn't recognize, it was a woodsy scent, almost like cedar or pine. Suddenly, he was filled with courage and he marched over to talk to her. He had never been one to talk to girls, especially not to make a move, that was always Merle. Every girl he'd gotten in bed with was because of Merle, his past didn't allow him the confidence to do that, but something in him pushed his history aside and he pulled a chair up next to her. Startled, she stopped playing and looked over at the redneck who was almost uncomfortably close to her. He had a fiery passion in his eyes, a look of hunger. She shook her head and laughed at herself, of course he was more confident, Wolfsbane brought out things people lacked due to their inner problems and this must have been one of his lackings.

"You're oddly confident," she mused.

"You don't know me," Daryl hissed, "I ain't no pussy." His defensiveness would take more work than just an oil to fix.

"Yeah, but I do little brother. I always had to catch your pussy for you, this is new." Merle seemed proud of his little brother and he sat down across from them, eyeing the situation. Bre had been right, they were brothers, but they were polar opposites. It was an odd match, but she was intrigued, she wanted to know more about their past.

"Shut up Merle. And I don't hate you got it? I just don't want a little trick ruining the camp." Daryl pushed his chair away as he stood up, causing it to flip onto its side. He stomped off, rage drifting throughout his aura. He was a very temperamental person, but even in his fit of rage he admitted he didn't hate her, he just cared about the group. She knew he may even grow to like her when he saw she wasn't going to hurt the group. If she really wanted him to be a friend, she had a lot of work to do, but thankfully, she was a woman who liked a good challenge.

Daryl was amazed with the fact she had joined their little camp, he was sure she'd think they were just some crazy hillbillies, but oddly enough, she wanted to be closer to them, even after meeting Merle. Maybe that was it, maybe she just liked Merle like every slut does. He kicked the dirt under his feet. He didn't know how to deal with this, something in him told him that girl was special, but how could he be sure? He kicked at the dirt again, the not knowing was frustrating him. Was she really something? Or was she just another girl looking for a reason to spread her damn legs. He spit in the dirt and headed out into the woods. He needed to do some hunting to clear his head.

"You like him," Merle said. He hadn't been asking, he was stating a fact more than anything.

"What?" She asked innocently.

"I always took care of him, always, but maybe its time for a little missy like you to take over." The silence following his little speech was unbearable and he was the first to break it, "He needs some real pussy."

She laughed, humor was definitely Merle's coping mechanism, "Keep it a secret. Got it?" She smiled to herself, "Don't need to scare him off just yet."


	3. Chapter Three - What's Your Name?

Bre had left dinner early hoping to go for a walk before it got too dark out. She headed over by the barn which Carol told her had previously been filled with walkers. The wooden boards of the structure were beginning to rot and become unstable. Eventually the whole place would collapse, but for now it stood in the far corner of Hershel's property. She ran her hands along the side of the building as she walked. Being around people was nice, but she was beginning to feel claustrophobic. She had never liked spending time with so many people and forcing herself to live with people was slowly wearing away at her core. She took a deep breath and turned her head upwards to look at the moon. It was almost full and it's brightness mesmerized her. She took another deep breath and then turned to head back to the camp, she'd had enough time outside and she didn't want anyone to worry about her, but before she could take a step a hand grabbed her from behind and pulled her to the ground behind the barn. She tried to scream, but a hand clasped over her mouth before she could make a sound.

Thoughts of vicious survivors ran through her head, what if someone was trying to take over their camp and steal what they had? These days, trusting people was riskier than it ever had been and she did not want to get caught up with the wrong people, but they were everywhere. "Hey there," the voice she heard sent waves of relief throughout her, it was just Shane. Even though he didn't seem to like her very much, she'd rather it be him than a survivor from a different group. "Shh," he coaxed, "I ain't gonna hurt you." He took his hand off of her mouth and sat her up against the barn.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bre tried to catch her breath as her heart rate began to slow down. His gaze seemed almost hungry, as if he was craving something that was directly in front of him. Reality hit her like a ton of bricks, he wanted her. She remembered seeing him staring at her earlier, he'd been doing it for a few days now and he just happened to decide tonight was his chance.

"Just saw you were alone, decided you need some sense scared into ya. Shouldn't be walking out here alone at night you know." Shane tried to sound concerned, but she knew he wasn't just making sure she was safe.

"Well, I'm gonna go inside." She stood up and brushed the dirt off her legs, but before she could go anywhere, Shane's lips assaulted hers in a sloppy kiss. She pushed him away, "Woah, I don't know what you think you're doin', but as far as I know you hate me."

"I was trying to keep my people safe, I didn't know you, but somehow you managed to win their votes and they all love you and you've been here for what, a week?"

"So their acceptance changed your shit attitude?"

"I ain't gonna praise you like the rest of them, but I don't mind you being here, and those little shorts you wear could make any man start to like you." His pick up lines were shit, but she could tell he was telling the truth. If he still hated her, he would have used this opportunity to get rid of her. These days, everyone seemed to be looking for a little release and without many options nobody was standing around waiting for the love of their life like they used to. Maggie and Glenn for instance made the best of what they had and ended up falling for each other when, before all of this, Maggie probably wouldn't have given Glenn the time of day. Bre sure as hell wasn't going to fall for Shane, but what the hell, it wasn't like she had any other options. Daryl had been pushing her away lately since he'd learned she actually liked him. She leaned in and kissed Shane as hungrily as he'd kissed her the first time. He slammed her against the barn and his hands slid down towards her waist line. He was muscular and his weight pressing her against the barn made it slightly hard to breath, but she didn't complain, she never did. She was always the type who was willing to please a guy even if he didn't have the first idea about what to do for her. Her eyes stayed closed as his mouth left hers and travelled down her neck. His hand had found its way inside her shorts and her eyes fluttered open as his hand made contact with her heat. She was looking out into the woods as he worked her over and she thought she saw someone standing there, just past the tree line. As the figure started to move away, she was sure there was someone there. As she strained harder to see who it was, she saw the distinct shape of a crossbow hanging from its shoulder.

"Stop," she muttered trying to push Shane away, but he wouldn't budge. "Shane," her voice grew louder, "I said stop."

"Shh," he hissed into her ear.

"No!" She pushed him away with all of her force, "When I say stop I fuckin' mean it." She looked past him into the woods, trying to find Daryl, but he was gone. She didn't know why, but she didn't want him to see her like this.

"Fucking tease," Shane spat as he stomped past her back towards camp. She needed to find Daryl, she didn't need him thinking she was a slut even though she'd been acting like one. Making her way back to their tents, she hoped she'd run into him, but he was no where to be found. She'd just talk to him in the morning and make things right.

XXX

The next morning she climbed out of her tent wearing her typical outfit of shorts and whatever t-shirt she happened to find that morning. Merle was sitting by his tent, but Daryl was, again, no where to be found.

"What did you do last night Clover?" Merle chuckled, "Darlina wouldn't tell me, but he seemed cranky."

"Doesn't talk to me for days and gets pissed over that?" She scoffed, "A real chancer he is."

"Mind tellin' me what 'that' is?" Merle leaned in like a teenage girl waiting to hear the new school gossip. He was immature, but she'd grown to like him, he was like a nosy older brother to her.

"I screwed around with someone last night and he caught an eye full. I'm sure he just happened to miss me calling it off."

Merle burst out into laughter, "Who in the hell did you leave standin' last night? Poor guy, probably needed that too."

Bre laughed along with him, "Take a wild guess."

"Officer Friendly? Bet he's sleepin' around to get back at Lori."

"No, you're pretty close though, who else is tryna get back at Lori?."

"Are you serious? Little Clover and the douchebag of camp, Shane Walsh. I ain't never expected that one."

"Yeah, me either. I left him all chubbed up too." They burst out laughing simultaneously unaware that Daryl was standing there listening the entire time.

"Ain't somethin' to be proud of," Daryl scoffed, making his presence known.

"I ain't proud, I'm just makin' jokes with Merle." Her tone was defensive.

"Ain't nothin' to joke about." Daryl's attitude was really getting on her nerves now and sensing the tension in the air, Merle got up and headed off for a walk.

"Have fun with your cat fight," he chuckled as he headed towards the RV, probably going to get breakfast and bother Carol.

"What the hell is your problem. I thought you hated me after ignoring me for days." Bre stood up and started to follow Merle to the RV, but Daryl's next remark stopped her in her tracks.

"You're right," he murmured, "I do hate girls that sleep around."

Bre spun around on her heels and got in his face, "I can do whatever the fuck I want and if you had stuck around you would have seen me push him away the second I saw you."

"Whatever," he grumbled, "you oughta go finish the job, its not like I care." Those words stung her, she had thought he cared, that's why she had stopped, but as it turns out, he doesn't give a shit about her. She raised her hand to slap him across the face, trying to hide her hurt with anger, but he caught her wrist. "What the fuck is your problem?" He pushed her away and she fell to the ground, bouncing her head off the edge of the tree stump. "Breann?" The sickening sound of her head making contact with the wood sent a shockwave of fear through his body. "Breann?" He knelt down and touched her, but she didn't respond. Fear engulfed his mind and he dropped his crossbow to the ground so he could carry her to the house. She was still breathing, but her head was gushing blood. He needed to get her to Hershel immediately. "You're gonna be okay," he whispered to her unconscious body trying to convince himself it was true, "everything will be okay."

XXX

Daryl sat by his tent watching the house as he skinned some squirrels he had caught earlier. He hadn't been near it or her since that incident two days ago. Everyone had been questioning his story so he tried to stay as far away as possible, besides, when she wakes up, she'll probably hate him for what he did. She'll want him to stay away, so he might as well start now. He saw Merle coming out of the house and heading towards him. Merle had been checking up on her since Daryl was being a "pussy bitch" and refused to go near her.

"She's awake," he said as he reached the camp. Daryl grunted in response and continued to skin the squirrel in his hand. He was actually relieved that she was finally conscious, but he didn't know how to express his feelings very well. "She's been asking for you." Daryl's head shot up and he stared at his brother, trying to decide whether or not he was lying. "If you don't believe me, just wait, I'm sure they'll send someone to get you just so she'll shut up."

Daryl hoped to god his brother was lying, he didn't want to talk to her, but within minutes Merle was proved right, Rick was walking over to their tents. He wasn't sure what he should do. He could've killed her, why would she want to see him? Merle obviously wanted him to go talk to her, but there was no way they'd be able to talk alone. The group was still wary of him, but he didn't want to upset her more. As Rick reached the little campsite, Daryl stood up.

"She wants to see you," Daryl nodded and followed the sheriff. Everyone watched as he walked up to the house, he felt more and more anxious as they continued towards the front door. He began to second guess himself, he shouldn't be going to talk to her, not after what he did. He stopped to go back to his tent, but Rick grabbed his arm, "Daryl she's not mad and neither are we. Just talk to her." The sheriff's reassurance gave him just enough confidence to keep heading towards the house, towards her.

They had finally reached the room Hershel had been keeping her in and taking a deep breath he stepped past Rick and through the bedroom door. To his surprise, Rick closed the door and left them to talk alone. She was sitting upright on the bed with her back against the headboard, but the moment she saw him she climbed out of the bed and stood up.

"Hey, you shouldn't-" he stopped mid sentence when she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "What are you doing?" he whispered.

"I'm sorry," she removed her arms from his neck and he immediately missed the feeling of her touch.

"For what?" He was the one who pushed her, he's the one who should be sorry.

"For everything. I can be a real bitch sometimes, but I just want you to know that I didn't mean to hurt you." She knew what she had done with Shane had hurt him, that's why he had been so upset. She knew that if he had done something like that, she'd be pissed too.

"Bre, I pushed you. I hurt you."

"I don't care, it was an accident. Let's just start over okay?" He nodded, but didn't respond. "Hey." she said, making him look up and meet her gaze, "Nice to meet you, I'm Breann, what's your name?"


	4. Chapter Four - Dreams

_"Fucking Christ Daryl," Bre moaned as he planted himself between her legs. She could feel the tip of his aching member at her entrance and she couldn't wait any longer. She thrust her hips upwards as he began to slowly enter her. She just wanted to feel him completely. His slow pace quickly turned rapid and she couldn't help but emit sounds of true pleasure as he rammed himself inside of her over and over. She had no idea where she was, the room was completely dark except for a few slivers of sunlight peeking through what she assumed was a wall._

 _"Breann," he couldn't help but moan her name as he withdrew himself slowly only to plunge back in with full force. Bre couldn't focus on the room anymore, she cried out Daryl's name due to a sudden change in pace. He slowed down and began to thrust hard each time he returned himself inside her walls. The immense force sent waves of pure pleasure throughout her body. She was so close, she could feel the oncoming orgasm engulfing her senses._

 _"Fuck," she moaned as it washed over her._

 _"Bre," Daryl called her name as he joined her in complete euphoria. "Bre," he said again more sternly. She pushed him away and tried to catch her breath, but he was a relentless. He continued to shake her, holding her by her shoulders._

"Bre!" Her eyes fluttered open to see Daryl and Merle inside her tent. She sat up, still breathing heavily. Daryl and Merle were in her tent almost panicking.

"What?" she asked, trying not to make eye contact with Daryl.

"Are you okay? You kept screamin' my name, did you have a nightmare or somethin'?" Daryl studied her face looking for an answer, but couldn't figure out what was wrong.

"Yeah, a nightmare. Walkers and shit, it was really gory." She tried to sound serious, but she could even hear the slight sarcasm in her voice and when a mischievous grin appeared on Merle's face she knew it was obvious she was lying. Somehow Daryl didn't catch on, or at least he pretended not to, and she was thankful Merle was standing behind him so that his grin wouldn't give away her lie.

"Musta been a real good nightmare," Merle chuckled before stalking off to his tent.

Ignoring him, Bre changed the subject, "What time is it?" It was still dark out so it had to be around midnight,

"Around one or two am I think." Daryl's concern had turned to confusion. If Merle meant what he thought Merle meant, Breann's screams weren't from a nightmare and they weren't screams. He stood up and turned away before Bre could see his face turn red as he imagined what kind of a dream she could have been having. He stalked back to his tent leaving Bre alone to contemplate why the hell she'd been seeing these scenarios every time she fell asleep.

When she had begun to wake up from her coma she was having the same types of dreams, Daryl and her in all different places and positions doing the same thing over and over. That's why she had forgiven him so effortlessly. How could she be mad when all she could think about was him fucking her? Especially since she couldn't help but enjoy the scenarios playing out in her head.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to fall asleep again, Breann pulled out her ipod nano which she had figured out how to charge using a portable USB plug that ran on batteries. She pulled on a pair of sweatpants, grabbed her knife and headed out for a walk. She plugged one side of her earbuds in and began to play one of her favorite songs, Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd.

So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell, blue skies from pain.

Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?

A smile from a veil?

Do you think you can tell?

Breann continued to walk away from the tents into the open field of Hershel's property. The moonlight shone bright enough that she could see the entire farm. She lowered her music when she heard the sound of twigs breaking on the ground behind her. Her vision didn't stray from the moon as she pretended as if she hadn't heard anything.

"What do you want?" She spat as the steps got closer. She assumed it was Shane trying to take advantage of another quiet moonlit night, but to her surprise, it was Merle standing about five feet away when she turned around, wearing that stupid grin on his face like always.

"What was all that screamin' about?" He smirked. It hadn't been difficult to find her weakness when she arrived at camp, he could tell right away that Daryl some how hit a nerve. That had always been his thing, finding ways to mess with people, that and his devilish grin.

"I told you," her voice became quiet as she tried to make him believe her, "just a nightmare."

"Care to share?"

"Not particularly, walkers aren't that bad, don't know why it scared me like it did."

"Please, Clover I knew you were lyin' from the second you woke up. That weren't no nightmare now was it?"

"Well," she didn't know what to say, Merle seemed to be able to see right through her, "it was nothin'. Just a dream."

"Oh Daryl!" He moaned as he imitated her 'screams'. She punched him in the arm, but that only made him laugh harder.

"It ain't funny Merle!" She tried to hide her face as it grew red from embarrassment, but it was helpless. "It was just a damn dream."

"Oh please little sis, I'm sure Daryl's back at camp trying to imagine what could possibly have been playing out in that little head of yours. 'Sides, ya both could use a little release your so damn uptight."

"Shut it Merle. I ain't uptight." She acted annoyed with him, but truly, she felt warm inside when he called her sis. He was the annoying older brother she'd never had and she loved the idiot for it all the more.

"You're right," he sighed. She gave him a look of confusion and he broke out smiling again, "I'm sure you're just tight." He burst out into another fit of laughter and she just shook her head at his never ending string of sexual jokes.

"I'm going to bed," she said pushing him hard so that she could get by, "goodnight Merle." He continued to laugh as she walked away, his voice slowly got quieter and quieter until she reached her tent where she couldn't hear him anymore. She climbed inside and put her ipod back in the side pocket of her bag. She did feel tired again so she laid down in her sleeping bag and rolled over onto her side. She needed some rest if she was going to have to put up with Merle's jokes tomorrow.

XXX

She woke up about three hours later, the sun was barely beginning to peak over the faraway hills. The disgusting smell of skunk had forced her out of her sleep. It had to be right near the tents, the stench was almost unbearable. She sat up and waited, the last thing she wanted to do was startle it so she decided to wait until the smell seemed to move away.

As she waited, the sound of a tent zipper opening and the unmistakable voice of a pissed off Merle Dixon caught her attention. "Shit!" He called out. She heard rustling as if he was jumping around and then the smell got a thousand times worse. "Fucking shit!" he bellowed. Bre began to laugh quietly, knowing he must have gotten sprayed, but the sound of a gunshot silenced her. She unzipped her tent slowly and when she saw the dead skunk in front of Merle's tent and heard the sound of someone vomiting, she burst out into laughter.

"Merle!" she tried to catch her breath between laughs, "Why did you kill the damn thing?"

Before he could say a word, the entire group was at their campsite with panicked looks across their faces and Daryl was crawling out of his tent. "What the hell?" Daryl croaked as he rubbed his eyes trying to wake up.

"It fucking sprayed me!" Merle screamed.

Still laughing, Bre tried to explain the situation to the very confused group, "He shot it."

"Shot what? What the fuck is going on?" Shane started to get pissed when he saw Bre laughing, realizing no one was seriously hurt.

"Skunk, the fuckin' skunk." By now, Bre was crying she was laughing so hard. Merle started peeling his shirt off trying to get the smell off, but when he unbuttoned his pants Lori stopped him.

"There are children here!" She covered her son's eyes and looked at the half naked man in disbelief.

"Then leave! I gotta get this shit off." Merle continued to pull his pants off and all of the women turned away and dragged the kids back to camp in disgust. Bre smiled coyly and let out another burst of laughter. "What's so damn funny now?" Merle asked angrily.

"You just," she coughed, "scared all the women away." She chuckled again and pulled herself off the ground, finally ending her laughing fit.

"At least I ain't havin' wet dreams," he shot back.

Bre's face turned red, "At least I'm not so repulsive I'm goin' chaste!"

"Don't bet on that one," Shane chuckled.

"Real fuckin' funny Shane," Bre glared at him, "real fuckin' funny."

"Jesus, shut up," Daryl chimed in, turning the array of death stares towards him, "Can someone tell me who the hell is gonna get rid of that skunk?"

"You," Bre smiled sweetly.

"No fuckin' way!" Daryl whined.

"Look, you ain't gonna help Merle get deskunked, so I have to, which means you have to get rid of the dead animal." Daryl growled, but got up and began looking for something to move it with. "Now, Dale, got any ideas to clean him up? I gotta sleep near him and I don't wanna smell that shit all night."

"Sure, I got a few old tricks that might help."

XXX

The rest of the day Bre was down by the river scrubbing Merle with various types of soaps and whatever vinegar Hershel had laying around. The smell was going away little by little, but it was going to take a lot of cleaning to make it go away completely.

"Well, is this similar to your dream Clover?" Merle teased, "Scrubbing a Dixon clean while he's just in his boxers."

"Not at all, also, wrong Dixon." Merle laughed, but didn't say anything else. Off in the distance, Daryl was listening quietly. He found it impossible to believe she was actually dreaming about him last night. This girl who acted tough and always had something to say, who had porcelain skin covered in tattoos that were each individual pieces of art, who had a silky Irish brogue that for some reason captivated him, this unique girl was having dreams about him. He shook his head. This girl had invaded his camp, his life, and his mind. It had to stop. He wasn't the perfect man that each woman fantasized about and he didn't want to be. He was the hick from Georgia who couldn't care less about anything that didn't involve hunting. He was a survivor and he wasn't gonna risk anything for some red-headed bitch who thought she could run with the boys.

"Well Merle, that's as good as it's gonna get for now. I'm gonna head back to camp and get some food." She gathered the various soaps and vinegar bottles into the bucket and headed back to camp. Daryl was already well on his way back to his tent. The talk after she had woken up obviously did nothing to bring them closer together. Daryl was gonna push her away with all of his might and there was almost nothing she could do.


	5. Chapter Five - Together

Bre had been waiting for Daryl to return all day. He had disappeared after the skunk incident and although she knew he was most likely hunting, she still felt a twinge of concern. After she had woken up, she wanted desperately to grow closer to the man who had somehow invaded her mind. She didn't know why she'd been dreaming about him or why she couldn't stop thinking about him and it was driving her crazy. Of course it was partially because of his strong arms and icy blue eyes that drove her wild, but it was also something more than that. She felt a connection with him like she'd never felt before.

A rustling in the brush snapped her out of her thoughts. Daryl appeared from behind his tent with a string of various rodents on his shoulder. "Hey," she smiled and stood up, "I've been looking for you." He set his catch down, ignoring her, and began to skin a squirrel that he slipped off the string. "Can we talk?" When he didn't respond she sighed and sat next to him, "What's your problem?"

"Ain't got one," he grumbled, finally acknowledging her.

"You disappeared all day without telling anyone."

"Don't matter."

"Yes it does," she said firmly, "what if you got hurt, or something and we needed to find you. You can't just disappear-"

"You ain't my fucking babysitter," he hissed, cutting her off, "you don't need to know where the fuck I am. Why don't you go keep tabs on Shane and leave me alone." He stabbed his knife into the log before stomping off to his tent. His reference to Shane made her cheeks flare red with rage, that wasn't something he could hold over her head. They had been perfectly fine before and then he just snapped all of a sudden, like he was a bipolar teenager.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" She wasn't going to let him walk away. She followed him into his tent, determined to make him talk.

"Get the fuck outta here," he grumbled, shooting a deathly glare her way.

"You don't get to tell me what the fuck to do. I thought we were okay. Did you just happen to fucking forget everything we talked about?"

"I ain't your fucking boyfriend, stop acting like we are something. We are nothing and get that through your thick fucking head." He shoved his way past her, out of the tent, and back into the woods. She stood in shock, unable to understand where this sudden animosity came from. The only thing she knew for sure was that she couldn't stay in that little campsite with him any longer.

She forced herself to move regardless of her unsteady feet. She pulled up her tent stakes and dragged it across the farm towards the barn where she could be all alone. "That piece of shit," she hissed, forcing back tears that threatened to pour down her face. He was just like every other man she'd met. A fucking scumbag who only wanted to use her. How could she have honestly believed he'd be different?

She reached into the tent and grabbed her pack and then headed straight for the cars lined up by the driveway. Getting out of here was the only thing that would calm her down. Coming to this group had been a mistake and a hundred feet wasn't enough space between her and the man who just tore down her only remaining emotions. The light blue door of the truck popped open with a loud squeal. She spotted the keys on the dashboard and she climbed in, starting the vehicle that would take her away from this fucked up group.

 **XXX**

Somehow no one had noticed the engine of the truck roaring to life, or the cloud of dust created by the spinning tires, but as soon as Merle returned to their little campsite he felt something drop in the pit of his stomach. It wasn't just that her tent had disappeared, it was more his intuition that made him panic. This girl was like family to him and now she was gone. He ran straight for the barn, knowing that was one of her favorite places to go, praying he'd find her sitting in the loft all pissed off at one of the stupid assholes at the farm.

He let out a deep sigh of relief when he saw her tent sitting next to the barn. She wasn't gone. He took a deep breath and headed over, prepared to give her some sort of sarcastic comment in hopes she'd smile and get out of her bad mood.

"Alright, what did you do to get in trouble this time?" He flung the tent door open expecting to see an angry little redhead sitting in the corner, but instead he found the space unoccupied and her bag was missing. The panic returned, she wasn't there, she was really gone. He turned around and ran up to the farmhouse in search of Rick. They needed to go find her immediately. "Rick!" He screamed, "Rick, get the fuck out here!"

The sheriff ran down the steps of the front porch, worry stretched across his features. "What's going on?"

"Breann, she's fucking gone," Merle said with urgency, "we have to find her."

"What do you mean she's gone?" Shane asked walking up behind Rick.

"She's gone dumbass, disappeared. We gotta get her, now." Merle hissed, frustration starting to boil up inside of him.

"Where did she go?" Carol appeared behind Merle with Maggie, Glenn, and Lori close behind.

"I don't fucking know," Merle said, defeat lacing his words.

"Let's go find her," Rick piped up, "she couldn't have gotten very far." The group headed straight for the cars, noticing the missing truck immediately. They climbed into their cars, separated into groups, ready to find her and bring her back, safely.

 **XXX**

Bre followed the road towards Atlanta, she had no idea where she was really going, but she knew there were places to stop before the city. She had made it alone before and she could do it again. Little did she know that Daryl had seen her leave before the rest of the group noticed her absence. He had climbed on his bike and headed after the suicidal maniac that was slowly growing on him. Women always fucked things up, but he couldn't get the thought that maybe she was worth it out of his head. He still wanted to push her away, but he couldn't let her kill herself by running out there alone. He'd never be able to live with that.

He had stayed just far enough behind her so that she couldn't see him, but with this being one, long, straight road, it wasn't hard to follow her.

After a while she finally pulled over into a small shack of a house on the side of the road. He stopped his bike in the trees where she wouldn't be able to see it or him and he watched as she stomped inside. He wasn't sure how he was going to get her back to camp, but he'd figure out a way, he had too.

He walked up to the house slowly, avoiding sticks and leaves on the ground that might alert her of his presence. He needed to surprise her first. He could see her in the kitchen through one of the windows and he knew he could get in the front door without her seeing.

He opened and closed the door quietly and then headed into the kitchen where she stood facing away from him. He set his crossbow down silently and then grabbed her from behind. Holding her wrists tight so that he could control her movements better.

She screamed in fear and kicked, but he didn't let go. "Hey, its me," he whispered in her ear and she stopped immediately, turning to face him with a tear streaked face. She looked beautiful, regardless of her puffy eyes. Their faces were mere inches apart and he had to fight the urge to close the space, but before he lost control, she pressed her lips against his. He had come for her, despite his bullshit. She couldn't go but love the man in front of her.

He lifted her up and placed her on the counter where he could easily remove her shorts. He pulled her into him and rubbed the denim over his crotch into her, making her moan. She was just too mesmerizing. He didn't know what he was doing, but he didn't care, he needed her. He unbuttoned his pants frantically and she removed her lace panties, exposing themselves to one another. Before the could remove their shirts he was already inside of her, unable to wait any longer. He thrust himself into her as deep as he could go, over and over again.

Bre called out his name in breathy moans, begging for more. They were finally connected the way they had desperately craved since they met. "Oh fuck, Daryl," she began to contract around him, bringing him closer to the edge. He thrust harder and they both spilled over the edge of euphoria. Unable to control their movements as they came together.

He buried his face in her neck and mumbled something that sounded like I love you. "Me too," Bre whispered, thankful that they were finally one.

 **XXX**

Daryl drove the truck as Bre rested her head on his shoulder. The bike was tied up in the back. They felt like they were in heaven, finally. He was finally hers.

Out of no where a huge caravan of familiar cars drove over the crest of the horizon. The group found them. Merle was relieved, his little shit was okay. She was like a sister to him and he could bear the thought of failing her like he had failed Daryl, but now she was okay. They were all okay.


End file.
